Dodik: I expect all parties to accept the decision to boycott the presidential elections in RS called by the BiH Central Election Commission

Milorad Dodik, who was stripped of his mandate as president of Republika Srpska (RS), told Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) that all matters in Republika Srpska will be resolved through a referendum, and that he expects all other parties to accept the decision to boycott the presidential elections in Republika Srpska, which the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CIK) has called for November 23.

"The referendum first decides whether to accept the (BiH) court, which is not constitutional, and then the CEC's decision. I am most disappointed with what is called the EU," Dodik said, as reported on his RTRS portal.

Dodik said that he "could have chosen a life of convenience, but he chose the fight for Republika Srpska", said that he had "been in all this for too long" and that is why "they want him removed because he remembers a lot of things".

"We are in a crisis imposed by (High Representative) Christian Schmidt and it is related to the non-functioning of the Dayton Agreement. I expect that all other parties will accept the decision to boycott, no one in Republika Srpska is calling for elections, not even the opposition. I call on them to rally around the National Assembly's decision not to vote in the elections, if they do, they will violate that decision, and that means they are obedient to Sarajevo and Schmidt. We will see, time is the best judge, and there is no better interpreter of who is right than the people," said Dodik.

On August 6, the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina stripped Dodik of his mandate as President of Republika Srpska, based on a final verdict by the Court of BiH, which sentenced him to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding office, for failing to implement decisions by High Representative Kristian Schmidt.

Long-serving Prime Minister Radovan Višković resigned on August 22nd, and last night a new RS government was elected, the legality and legitimacy of which is disputed by legal experts and opposition representatives in that entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), since the prime minister-designate was appointed by Dodik, who say he does not have the authority to do so.

In conclusions adopted at a session held on the same day that Višković's resignation was accepted, the Republika Srpska Assembly called on Dodik to continue serving as president, rejected the early presidential elections called by the Central Election Commission of BiH, and ordered entity institutions not to cooperate with that body.

Speaking today about the new RS government, Dodik said that they are all together on the same goal, and thanked those who have worked in the government so far.

The National Assembly of Republika Srpska elected a new government last night. 50 out of 83 deputies voted in favor of Savo Minić as Prime Minister, while two were against. Then, 50 deputies also voted in favor of the members of Minić's government, while one was against.

Dodik said that there are those who always dispute something, and that "it is primitivism not to wait for an answer," and, as he assessed, "only those who hate Republika Srpska can do that."

"These are Schmidt's units - SDS, PDP and Lista Justice for Order. That's why they are losing in the polls. They are the worst thing that Republika Srpska has," said Dodik.

Regarding the dialogue in BiH, Dodik said that it would be conducted when the other two sides wanted it, emphasizing that the arguments were on the side of the RS.